Fire-escape



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1,

' J. D. BRAINARD.

FIRE ESCAPE. I No. 481,252. Patented Aug. 23, 1892.

[I :1 I L Nwms'sas. W fiim PATENT Fries.

JULIUS D. BRAINARD, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

Fl RE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 481,252, dated August 23, 1892.

Application filed April 25,1891.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JULIUS D. BRAINARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and.State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fire-escapes; and it consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter shown and described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation, and Fig. 2 is a side elevation, of a portion of a building, showing my improved apparatus attached thereto. Fig. 3 is a front elevation. Fig.4 is a side elevation, and Fig. 5 is a plan view, on an enlarged scale, of the automatic brake and its operating mechanism. Fig. 6 represents the automatic brakesetting lever detached.

A represents a framework of any required form or size, preferably of metal, and sufficiently strong to support the greatest strains to which the apparatus will ever be subjected and attached to the upper part of the building, just beneath the cornice, or in any other suitable location.

B B are two horizontal shafts parallel to each otherand suitably mounted in the f ramework A and each carrying a cable or chain drum or sheave D D as shown.

E is anuprightshaftsupportedin the frame A and carrying a small chain or cable sheave E in line with the sheaves D D so that a chain or cable F, in running from the sheave D to D will pass around the small sheave E as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. I have shown a cable or rope upon the sheaves in the drawings for the purpose of illustration, and hereinafter for eonciseness of statement I shall refer to this feature as a cable, although of course it will be understood that a chain or rope may be employed in this location, if preferred. The groove in the sheaves D and E will preferably be provided with small ribs or lugs a, (see Figs. 3, 4, and 5,) so that the cables will not slip and to secure a more tenacious hold of the cables upon the pulleys. The cable passes upward and entirely around the sheave D, and thence entirely around the small sheave E and thence around the sheave D and thence over the sheave D Serial No. 390,476- (No model.)

again, the face of the latter being wide enough to hold the three parts of the cable.

G is a standard supported in an arm or lever G pivoted at b in the framework A and having pivoted to its upper end an arm G carrying a brake-shoe G on one end in contact with the wide rim of the sheave D and with its other end pivoted to a collar d on the shaft E. Within this collard is a sleeve 01 with a shoulder (i on its lower end projecting beneath the collar d, so that when the sleeve is elevated the collar Will be elevated with it.

Attached rigidly to the shaft E, near its upper end, is a head E having arms E pivoted thereto, and carrying balls E on their lower ends, the arms E" being connected by arms E to the sleeve (1 this construction forming a governor to regulate the pressure of the brake by the increase or decrease of the motion of the shaft E, as hereinafter more fully described.

On the lower part of the sheave E is formed one portion E of a clutch, the other portion being formed upon a collar E fast to the shaft E. The sheave E is loose upon the shaft E, so that the latter is turned When the sheave is revolved in one direction, but will remain stationary when the sheave is revolved in the opposite direction. The cable F begins at a point opposite the lowermost of the windows of the building, and thence passes upward around the sheaves D E D as before described, and thence down to a counter-weight H, as shown.

Attached to the cable at suitable intervals,

preferably opposite each window, is an eye or eyes 6, to which hooks c on a harness K, of any suitable construction, is adapted to be connected, as shown in Fig. 1, the person dosiring to use the apparatus first placing the harness or straps upon his person, and after connecting the hooks c into the eyes 6, swinging themselves outward and permitting the weight to come upon the cable.

The counterweight H will be heavy enough to not quite balance the person using the apparatus, so that the weight of the person will cause them to descend slowly. If the weight of the person is greater than ordinary, the increase of speed will correspondingly increase the speed of the shaft E, and thus distend the balls E and cause the arms E E to ele- IQQ vate the sleeve (1 and collar (1, and thus increase the pressure of the brake-shoe upon the sheave D and thereby check the speed of the cable and perfectly regulate the speed of the descending person and cause a light orheavy person to descend with equal speed. The governor thereby perfectly controls and regulates the speed, so that every person will descend with equal speed, no matter of what size or weight.

Guide wires or rods M will be arranged adjacent to the two parts of the cable F, around which the weight H and eyes 6 will be looped to prevent the weights or the descending persons from swaying about or coming in contact with projections on the building. The

guide-wires M may be conducted off at any desired angle to avoid obstructions or projections, so as to adapt the apparatus to any form of construction of building or to any lo cation. lVhen the person descending has reached the ground, he disconnects himself from the hooks or harness, when the counterweight II will at once descend again and return the portion of the cable having the eyes attached to its upward position, ready to accommodate the next person desiring to descend, and so on, as long as required. lVhen the cable is ascending for the use of the stillunrescued persons, the sheave E will merely turn upon the shaft E by slipping over the clutch E E as the governor and brake are not required except when persons are deseending.

The lever G is extended beneath the rim of the sheave D as shown at W, to form a support thereto and assist the brake in its operation by increasing the frictional surface. The lever G is pivoted at b to the frame A and projects backward and clasps the cable F just beneath the sheave D by one end, while the other end projects forward and is turned upward in contact with the lower surface of the frame A, as before described, the lower end of, the standard G passing clownward through this lever and secured thereto by a nut g on the under side.

The cable F is provided with a knot or other projection 7L, adapted to strike the lever G as the cable runs upward, and thus elevate it and cause the brake-lever to be depressed when the cable in its upward movement reaches a certain point. This device is intended as an automatic check upon. the motion of the sheave D when the counter-weight is descending, so that its sudden stoppage when it reaches its lowermost limit will not render the cable liable to jump out of the groove in the sheave, as there would be danger of its doing if this checking device were not employed.

The whole of the apparatus except the cables and the guide-rods will be housed, as shown at N in Figs. 1 and 2, so that the mechanism shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6 is protected from the weather and from other damaging or injurious causes.

is free to be moved laterally to a considerable extent without cramping the lever or e2;- erting side strains upon it, as the plate 1' will move laterally with the movement of the cable.

While I have shown the cable passing around the sheaves in a certain manner, I do not wish to be limited to the precise arrangement shown, as it may be conducted around the pulleys and sheaves in any desired manner to accomplish the desired result.

The nut g on the lowerend of the standard G is an important feature of the invention, as it enables me to adjust the brake and perfectly control the tension.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new is- 1. In a fire-escape apparatus, two sheaves or pulleys D D a cable passing around said sheaves or pulleys and with its ends hanging therefrom, a counter-weight upon one of said pendent ends, means whereby the person desiring to use the apparatus can be attached to the other pendent end, guide rods or wires M, to which said counter-weight and the suspension apparatus of the person using the apparatus is loosely connected, a brake adapted to act upon said sheaves or pulleys, and a governor connected to said brake and adapted to be actuated by said cable, so that the speed of the descent of the person using the apparatus will be regulated and the counterweight and descending person guided during the trip, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a fire-escape apparatus, two sheaves or pulleys D D a cable passing around said sheaves or pulleys and with its ends hanging therefrom, a counter-weight upon one of said pendent ends, means whereby the person desiring to use the apparatus can be attached to the other pendent end, a brake adapted to act upon said sheaves or pulley, and a governor connected to said brake and adapted to be actuated by said cable, so that the speed of the descentof the person using the apparatus will be regulated,

JULIUS D. BRAINARD.

\Vitnesses:

C. N. XVOODWARD, II. S. WEBs'rER. 

